The Maid in the Military
by suze-the-practical-ghost
Summary: NCIS and Bones! A maid is found on a Naval base, forcing NCIS and the FBI to work TOGETHER. Lots of drama and BB fluff. Set before Critic i/t Cabinet, after Under Covers 3.8
1. Chapter 1

"This guy better be good, for as long as we're waiting," Tony grumbled to Ziva. "I'm getting bored from doing nothing."

For that, he earned a smack on the back of the head from Gibbs. "Then _do_ something, DiNozzo!"

"On it, Boss." Tony picked up the camera around his neck and started snapping photos of the scene. Almost every picture had an FBI jacket in it, and Gibbs was getting more agitated by the minute.

Director Shepherd had ordered this ridiculous alliance between NCIS and the FBI. The fact that a group of _Navy_ men had found a decomposing corpse washed up by river in the middle of the woods of a _Naval_ base gave NCIS — _Naval_ Criminal Investigation Service —only _partial_ jurisdiction…at least until the victim was identified. Director Shepherd was off conferring with Director Cullen and another agent from the FBI. Jenny gave Gibbs a warning glance that told him he should behave. Gibbs rolled his eyes and sipped his coffee, watching his team try and work around the Bureau's people.

When Gibbs turned back around, Jenny, Cullen, and the unknown agent were headed in his direction. The first things he noticed about the agent were the muscles, flashy tie, and red 'Cocky' belt buckle.

"Director," he nodded at Jenny. "Director," he said to Cullen. He wasn't one for warm welcomes.

"Agent Gibbs, this is who you will be sharing the jurisdiction with until the body is identified; Jethro meet —"

"Booth," the man said, offering his hand.

"Gibbs," the NCIS agent said. "Now when can our medical examiner begin? We've been waiting for your partner since…"

"I just spoke with Dr. Brennan. Ten minutes tops," Booth said.

"While we wait is it at all possible we could take a look at the body?" Gibbs said scathingly.

Agent Booth's expression became reproachful. "I wouldn't. Dr Brennan is very touchy when it comes to the crime scene. You can do whatever as long as you don't touch it."

Gibbs gritted his teeth, and even Jenny bristled a little. "I know we do not have full jurisdiction as it stands now…" Jenny started.

"Look, it's just that…" Booth sighed. "Every time someone touches the body I get my head chewed off for 'letting the remains be compromised.'"

"I'd go with what he said. He's the Squint Man," Director Cullen said to Jenny.

Gibbs was relieved to see a new car pull up to the already crowded scene.

Booth turned around and started walking to the car. "Hey Bones! Where've you been?" he called out, throwing his arms out.

"Sorry! I was in the middle of helping Ange when you called," a husky, but definitely female voice shouted back. Gibbs and Director Shepherd both blinked in surprise. They saw the woman descend the hill quickly while pulling her hair back. She was dressed in a plastic kind of suit and gum boots.

She reached Agent Booth's side and the two strode towards Gibbs and the directors.

Cullen didn't notice when Dr. Brennan and agent Booth were in hearing distance.

"Those squints sure are something. Booth is the only one who's ever been able to stand working with them."

"Actually, Booth is the only person _we've_ been able to stand working with," Dr. Brennan corrected from behind him.

Cullen jumped a little and Gibbs suppressed a smile.

"Dr. Brennan," Cullen greeted her.

"Where are the remains?" she asked impatiently.

"Over here, Bones," Booth ushered her in the right direction.

Once they were out of earshot, Jenny muttered, "You have to be kidding me."

Director Cullen seemed to understand their shock. "Trust me on this one; she's the best."

Gibbs handed his coffee to Jenny. "We'll see."

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Tony and Ziva watched as the burly FBI agent led over a woman. "_She's_ the doctor?" they said at the same time.

McGee looked up from what he was doing and almost fainted. "That's Temperance Brennan!" he whisper-exclaimed to Tony and Ziva. "She's the author of my favorite mystery books!"

"She's _that_ Temperance Brennan?" Ziva said incredulously. McGee nodded furiously.

"Why does that name sound familiar?" Tony said, blocking out everything that was just said. Ziva glared at him. His head was pointing up and he looked like he was thinking. Ziva smacked the back of his head and he started and looked at her. "What was that for?"

Ziva just rolled her eyes and walked towards the approaching trio.

"This is my team," Gibbs said. "Agent Tony DiNozzo," Tony waved with two fingers, "Officer Ziva David, our Mossad liaison; Agent McGee; and our medical examiner, Ducky."

"Ducky?" Booth asked.

"Dr. Mallard," Gibbs said.

"Ah," Booth nodded once.

"Where are the remains?" Dr. Brennan repeated.

"Since we're going to be working together, shouldn't we get to know each other first?" Tony said with a flirtatious smile.

"Haven't _you_ been waiting for _me_?" she asked, confused.

Tony's smirk disappeared. "Right." He frowned. "Right this way," he said dejectedly, leading the way.

They ducked under the yellow police tape fastened to the surrounding trees. In the middle of a circular hole about six feet deep and eight feet wide there was badly decomposed corpse face down in the dirt and leaves, a fire ax sticking out from its back.

Ducky was waiting to greet them from inside the taped off zone. He peeled off one of his rubber gloves so he could shake hands with the newcomers. "Dr. Brennan, it is an honor to meet you," he said, shaking her hand.

"Dr. Mallard," she said in acknowledgement.

"Please call me Ducky, my dear," he said.

She nodded once. "Have the remains been disturbed?" she asked.

"No one touched them," he assured her. She nodded and pulled on her latex gloves. The others were trailing behind, curious to see 'the best' at work.

Brennan sat on the edge of the hole and slid in, being careful not to disrupt the body.  
She knelt down and looked at it for a few seconds before stated her analysis. She lifted one side of the pelvic bone at a fifty degree angle so she could determine gender.

"The victim is female," she said. "Pelvic bone suggests she gave birth."

"When?" Booth asked.

"Between three and six years ago." She then lifted up the skull, which was still attached. "The victim was in her mid to late twenties. Brow ridge and nasal cavity suggest Caucasian." She examined the hands next, clearing away some of the remaining flesh. "Her flanges are worn and metacarpals were strained to the point of fractures often, and lighter in color. She was probably kitchen help. The bone is lighter in color than the rest of them from having them in scalding water for long periods of time." She stopped for a moment. Everyone looked on in awe, except for Booth who smirked. Se went on. "Cause of death—"

"Wouldn't that be the ax sticking out of her back?" Ziva asked, since it seemed obvious.

Brennan examined the wound before removing the ax. A member of the FBI forensic team was ready with an evidence bag and she dropped it in. She looked at the wound again. "No, lack of blood pooling suggests the wound was post-mortem." She stood up. "We can determine cause of death and ID the victim once we get to the Jeffersonian. I'll need soil samples for Hodgins and whatever else you can find." She turned her gloves inside out as she pulled them off with a _snap_. "Here, help me up," she said to Booth. He grabbed her outstretched arms and pulled her up.

"You heard the lady! Pack it all up and send it to the Jeffersonian," Booth shouted.

Suddenly, Tony recognized the name and the face fit perfectly. "Temperance Brennan!" he said and chuckled. "Wow!"

Brennan looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"Tony!" he said, gesturing to himself. Her expression didn't change. "Tony…DiNozzo." Still, he got no response. He shifted uncomfortably. " Uh, Tony, uh…" he laughed awkwardly. "Tony 'Tap That' DiNozzo," he spit out shamefacedly.

Recognition dawned on her. "Ah."

Ziva started bursting out laughing

"You, uh, sure have grown up," he said, trying to ignore Ziva.

"Whoa, how do you two know each other?" Booth asked, confused and slightly protective.

"I… stayed at the DiNozzo's for a couple months when I was in the foster system," her voice grew more objective, as it always did when she talked about her painful path. Booth saw the pain in her eyes when she talked about being up to her elbows in scalding water.

Ziva sobered up a little, but couldn't help but comment. "Tony _Tap That_ DiNozzo!? Seriously?" Ziva snorted.

"Alright stop!" Tony said, desperately trying to maintain some dignity. Then he looked around. "Where's Gibbs?"

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Gibbs had gone back to speak to Jenny towards the end of Dr. Brennan's examination. "She's good," he reported.

"How good?" she inquired. That could mean relinquishing jurisdiction.

"She was able to give gender, age, race, occupation, and figure out that she was a mother of a three to six year old," Gibbs was impressed, he couldn't deny it. "I'd say she's damn good."

She cursed under her breath

"They said they could have an ID in twenty-four hours," he said coolly. "This can be our case in twenty-four hours."

"Or theirs, Jethro," she said.

"For now, I want the file of Dr. Brennan," he whispered.

"Why?" she asked, not seeing where he was going with it.

"My gut is telling me something," he said. "And taking a step back won't help," he said huskily.

Jenny was suddenly all too aware of how close they were. Jethro smirked down at her. She couldn't say anything for a moment.

"I'll…I'll see if I can get it," she tried to keep her voice steady. "By tomorrow." As she walked away, Gibbs chuckled to himself.

His team started to approach him. Ducky was the first to speak.

"Absolutely astounding. Dr. Brennan is the best forensic anthropologist in the world, and to get to see her work is incredible. From what I've heard, her partner and she are at the top of the game. Catching murders, that is. I suppose it does quite a bit for book sales as well," he went on admiringly.

"Ducky," Gibbs said reproachfully.

"Oh come now, Jethro. Surely even you were impressed," Ducky amended.

"Not the point, Duck. They're going to have an ID by tomorrow and we need a good case if we want to keep jurisdiction," Gibbs said.

"So what are we gonna do?" Tony asked.

"That's what we're working on, DiNozzo," Gibbs snapped.

"Why don't we search the base for a missing scullery maid?" Ziva suggested.

"Go. And take Mr. Tap That with you," Gibbs said.

Ziva chuckled and pulled an undignified Tony with her to the car.

_**Alright so not my best work but it will get better. During the time I disappeared of the face of FanFiction, I fell in love with the show Bones (and realized Twilight sucks—hate me if you will). I have seen pretty much all the episodes. I haven't seen all that much NCIS but I know enough to know their personalities and how they interact with each other. **_

_**This story is set BEFORE Critic in the Cabinet (Bones) and just after Kate dies )like I said I'm not all up to date on NCIS)**_

_**Whatever! Drop a review; tell me how I'm doin'. I swear there will be a whole lot of BB love later.**_

_**SuzieQ**_


	2. Chapter 2

"This place is incredible!" Abby gushed as they walked into the Jeffersonian's lab.

"Very big," Ziva agreed.

"Best lab in the States," Ducky stated.

"Very…techy," Tony agreed.

McGee just looked around with big eyes. He looked nervous.

"Probie!" Tony said. "Something bothering you?"

"N-no, just…" McGee didn't know what to say in front of Abby.

"He's just psyched to see his favorite sexy-scientist-author," Tony waggled his eyebrows at Abby who smacked McGee on the back of the head.

"Keep the fire in the fireplace and your eyes in your head!" Abby said.

Gibbs walked past them. "Well come on." The four followed him up to the forensics platform where the other team was crowding around the decaying body.

As they walked up the steps, alarms started blaring. Hodgins came up from behind them and swiped a card through the railing and the alarms stopped.

"Whoa," Tony said, "they have security for dead people."

"We can't let just anyone have access to the remains," Brennan said. She was now wearing a blue Medi-Co lab coat and rubber gloves. "Dr. Mallard and Ms. Sciuto, you can join us here."

She looked at Gibbs slyly. "You hear that, Gibbs? She called me Ms. Sciuto," Abby said gleefully.

Gibbs's lips twitched and Abby grinned and walked towards the body. "So what'cha want me to do?" Abby asked.

"For now, you can observe," Cam said. "Dr. Saroyan," she introduced herself.

"I'm Abby. Although, I'm kind of liking this 'Miss Sciuto' thing" Abby replied.

Cam opened her mouth, but seemed to not know how to reply for a moment. "Well…nice to meet you," Cam smiled, a little unsure what to make of the forensic scientist's odd getup.

Just then, Booth and Brennan walked up towards the platform, arguing about something.

"…I'm just saying, you have all that money and your apartment isn't _that_ big…" Booth was saying.

"No, Booth! I don't _need_ a new place to live. My current residence is fine, thank you," Brennan countered.

Their arguing halted when thy saw the NCIS agents in the room. "What are they doing up here? This is _not_ an open examination!" Brennan exclaimed.

"Bones, we have to cooperate with them, until we ID the victim. I told you this yesterday," Booth said, somewhat resentfully.

"But I thought you said no one took them seriously. Would you actually give the case to them if it turns out it _is_ their jurisdiction?" Brennan said bluntly, not particularly caring that NCIS was in hearing distance.

"Bones! Do you have to —" Booth said, exasperated. He looked at Gibbs, illogically hoping that he hadn't heard.

Gibbs was looking at him with eyebrows raised. "You got a problem with us?" he asked in an eerily cool voice.

Booth wasn't deterred by the agent's attempts to intimidate him. "I don't know you. Just heard talk," he said with equal dominance.

Just like dogs fighting for dominance, Brennan thought. Typical alpha-male behavior. However, she was confident that Booth could win, anyway.

She methodically pulled on gloves and began to study the body on the illuminated table. There were sill scraps of clothing that hadn't decomposed yet. She worked slowly, taking notes in her mind. She bore all the signs of a hardworking woman.

When Brennan came across the ribs and sternum, she moved the magnifier and brought it up to the monitor. "See these grooves?" she asked her current grad student of the week, Mr. Nigel-Murray.

He moved closer to look for himself. "They look like repeated stabs to the chest. Some of the marks are smooth, and others serrated. So…two different weapons were used?" Vincent said, seeking approval from his teacher.

"The marks seem to be equidistant in width and shape is similar, indicating one weapon that's blade was both smooth and serrated," Brennan said.

"That sounds like a military knife," Ziva jumped in.

Brennan shot a look at her, then continued on. "The wounds were severe enough that she could have bled to death. I can't say conclusively until the bones are cleaned," Brennan concluded and pulled off her gloves with a _snap_.

"Mr. Nigel-Murray will get on that as soon as Hodgins and I get at the clothing and tissue," Cam said, her voice implying compromise. She peeled a shredded shirt sleeve off and placed it on a tray that Hodgins was holding.

Just then, Angela walked onto the platform, swiping her card as she did so. She did a quick one-over of the visitors. "These the Navy people?" she asked, sounding unimpressed. She and Ziva seemed to be sizing each other up.

"Yes," Brennan said, oblivious to the tension. "Can you take the skull for a sketch?" she asked.

"Sure thing sweetie," Angela said. "Hey, are you gonna buy that condo in the building uptown? I saw pictures. The place is _fantastic_."

"Not you too!" Brennan groaned. "I do _not_ need a new place to live!" she stressed.

"Alright, Bren. Whatever you say," Angela grinned and accepted the skull Brennan handed to her.

"What's this?" Cam said, peeling off a discolored square of some textile-looking material. She held it up with a pair of tweezers and examined it against the light.

Hodgins took it from her and turned it over. "Judging by the location and faded pink-ish color, I'd say it's a contraceptive patch," Hodgins said as he placed it in a sample dish.

"Did you know that the first known contraceptive was crocodile dung, used by Egyptians in 2000 B.C.?" Nigel-Murray cut in. Cam gave him the usual annoyed look. "Totally relevant," he defended himself.

"Relevant, yes, but helpful, no. There is no way that this woman is two thousand years old, so it is of no use in this lab," Brennan said plainly and unsympathetic.

Mr. Nigel-Murray closed his mouth and returned to examining the skeleton, feeling rebuked.

"I can run the patch though mass-spec to identify the brand," Abby offered.

Hodgins scoffed. "We are more than capable of running those tests here. We aren't just going to give you vital evidence and hope you bring it back or deliver honest results." His voice was accusing and resentful. The NCIS agents looked shocked by his outburst.

"That was a bit rude," Ziva said.

"Yea," Abby said. "I was trying to help," she was not feeling very welcomed at this lab.

"Well we neither need nor _want_ your help," Hodgins retorted, with the same resentful tone.

"Wow. This is worse than dealing with Agent Sacks," Abby said.

Tony looked up from his phone, on which he was idly playing games on. "The agent who tried to put me away for a murder I was framed for? I hate that guy," Tony said, his voice faraway, like he was recalling some memory.

Dr. Brennan cut in from where she was bent over the skeleton, not even looking at them. "This conversation is not only irrelevant, but it is distracting. You are of no use at this time, so I would appreciate it if you could all leave this area." Her voice was cold and candid, as always.

Tony chuckled. "Same old Temperance," he said with the cocky smirk of the high school jock he once was, the only Tony that Brennan could remember. At the thoughts of those dreadful months, she stood up straight swiftly.

Her eyes were icy and intense, just like her tone. "You know _nothing_ about me." She pulled her gloves off with a _snap_ and stormed off of the platform.

Angela looked after her concernedly. "Brennan!" she called out. When she didn't turn around, Angela turned towards Tony. "You bastard," she said forcefully. She turned on her heel and jogged off of the platform, skull in hand. "Brennan, wait!" she called as she followed Tempe into her office.

Tony wasn't quite prepared for those reactions. "Wow," he mused, "Touchy."

Booth was on the offensive immediately. "Listen, she is the best at what she does, and she has been through more crap in her life than you can even imagine." Booth knew that Brennan had a rough high school experience, and this guy had 'jock-ass' written all over his smug smile. "It starts with holding a skull in her hands and five minutes later finding out it belonged to her missing mother, and it is an ongoing hell even now. So don't think for one second that you have some power or superiority over her." He turned and walked away, heading towards Brennan's office.

Cam was not as direct or harsh as Booth, but just as adamant. "It would be better if you leave, and you will be notified as soon as we have the ID. Security will escort you out."

Three big men approached them solemnly, and herded them out of the lab.

"Well done, Tony," Ziva muttered.

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Booth rapped his knuckle on the door of Brennan's office. He saw her and Angela sitting side by side on her couch. They paused in conversation and looked up when they heard Booth. "You ok?" he asked.

"I'm fine," Brennan replied quietly. She didn't look ok.

Angela glanced between Brennan's lonesome expression and Booth's concerned one. "I'll start on the facial reconstruction," she said, then left the room, giving the two time to talk. Booth nodded at her as she left.

Brennan shuffled some papers in her lap, but it was just a pretense. Booth sat down next to her and said gently, "You wanna talk about it?" Brennan knew he wouldn't push. He never did.

"I don't know what to say," she told him honestly. Letting someone see her not in complete control was a privilege she gave only him. "He was one of those rich kids with a loving family who was selfish and full of himself. He was a player and a popular guy, and when I got stuck with him and his family…I guess he felt threatened. I usually just kept to myself; at school and in the room they gave me. But he would throw parties when his parents were gone, and there were people banging on my door, just for the sake of tormenting me. Other than that it was just another foster home. Well, one of the better ones, anyway. School was always hell— I didn't have Russ to look out for me— but at the house it was kind of nice. He always assumed that I was just some quiet girl who didn't care about anything other than school, and therefore I needed to be 'shown the way' or something. He didn't _know_ anything about me. He never tried to talk to me unless he was teasing me. His jock friends were even worse." Brennan shut her mouth and swallowed. No, she told herself, if I can trust anyone, it's Booth.

Booth just sat and listened, which was a comfort in itself. "I know who you are. And it's a loss that he doesn't, because you are a good person, and he's one of those guys who think they don't need any real information to know a person. He was wrong. Besides, as soon as we ID the body, one of us will get the case and then we'll be done with them."

Brennan nodded. "You're right. In the meantime, we have work to do." She stood up and walked out, pausing in the doorway. "And Booth?" she turned around and looked at him. "Thanks."

He gave her a million watt smile in return, and nodded. They were definitely partners, through and through.

**A/N: Soooooooo it's been what? 7 months? My bad. So I have another chapter and such. Enjoy it. Review it. Stuff. Who knows when I'll put up another chapter. But whatever. Keep it on alert. Tell me how I'm doing.**

**There shall be more stuff about the case in the next chapter, plus you shall see where the jurisdiction lies…**

**Until next time (which will hopefully be sooner than in 7 months)**

**Your's truly,**

**~SuzieQ**


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